Composite insulator



May 12, 1964 R. P. DOERER 3,132,356

COMPOSITE INSULATOR Filed March 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l j 56 '8 |6 54 50 40 INVENTOR.

52 moHARD RooERER 54 Wj 6| BY FlG. B-V- e MWI/Mgr@ 59] 55' ATTORNEYS May 12, 1964 R. P. DOERER 3,132,355

COMPOSITE INsuLAToR Filed March 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.7.

FIG.IO.v

INVENTOR.

RICHARO P.DOERER ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,132,356 COMPOSITE INSULATOR Richard P. Doerer, Ypsilanti, Mich., assigror to Van Dresser Specialty Corporation, Warren, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Fiied Mar. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 177,543 9 Claims. (Cl. 5-354) This invention relates generally to an insulator for use between the overlying padding and underlying supporting spring structure of an upholstered assembly.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide an insulator for use between an overlying padding and underlying supporting spring structure comprising a sheet of flexible material reinforced by a plurality of flexible resilient strands, wherein the strands are of undulating form and longitudinally precompressed beyond the elastic limit of the material thereof so that the overall length of the strands is reduced to approximately the dimension of the corresponding portions of the supporting spring structure.

Another object is to provide an insulator wherein the strands form a layer between two sheets of iiexible material.

Another object is to provide an insulator wherein the strands are substantially parallel and of helical form.

Another object is to provide an insulator wherein anchorage means are provided adjacent opposite edges of the sheets to which the strands are terminally connected.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of the invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an upholstered assembly provided with an insulator constructed in accordance with this invention, and showing parts broken away and in section.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan View of the core of the insulator before the strands are compressed, shown overlying the border frame of the supporting spring structure of the upholstered assembly.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan View of a compression fixture for compressing the strands of the core, showing the core in position between the closed plates of the fixture, with parts broken away.

FIGURE 4 is an end View of the fixture shown in FIGURE 3, showing the plates closed but omitting the core.

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the fixture, showing the core between the closed plates.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing a piston extending into one of the grooves of the compression fixture.

FIGURE 7 is a plan View of the insulator core, after it has been compressed, shown over the border frame to illustrate the configuration of the compressed core with respect to that of the border frame.

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the complete insulator, positioned over the border frame.

FIGURE 9 is a semi-diagrammatic view taken on line 9 9 of FIGURE 8, omitting the border frame.

FIGURE l0 is a semi-diagrammatic view taken on the line ifi-10 of FIGURE 8, omitting the border frame.

FIGURE l1 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of FIGURE l0.

FIGURE l2 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of the insulator before the strands have been compressed.

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary view of the modified insulator after the strands have been compressed and the insulator is ready for use.

ICC

FIGURE 14 illustrates a step in the manufacture of the modified insulator.

In the drawings, A is an elongated, substantially horizontal, flexible, bodily stretchable, sheet-like insulator embodying my invention disposed between an overlying padding B for an exterior trim material C and an underlying supporting spring structure D of an upholstered assembly.

The insulator A is best shown in FIGURES 8-11 and includes an elongated sheet of flexible material 10, another elongated sheet of flexible material 12 having substantially the same marginal outline as the sheet 10, and a pre-compressed reinforcing core 14 between the sheets 10 and 12. The insulator is a composite laminated structure with the core 14 constituting a lamination or layer between the outer layers or sheets itl and 12 of flexible material.

The pre-compressed core 14 includes a plurality of laterally spaced, substantially parallel, resilient stretchable reinforcing strands 16. The core is best seen in FIGURE 7, and it will be noted that anchorage means or members which may be in the form of cords 1S extend along either end of the core 14 to which the wire strands are terminally connected. The ends of the wire strands may be simply wrapped or folded around the cords and held in a predetermined spaced relation to one another. The strands between their ends are helical as is apparent.

The supporting spring structure D includes an elongated substantially horizontal border frame 20 having the contoured ends 22 and Z4. The border frame may be formed of a wire element or the like, and also has the longitudinally extending straight sides 26 and Z3 connecting the contoured ends 22 and 24. As shown in FIGURE 8, the composite insulator A has an outline which closely approximates that of the border frame.

- Preferably, the sheets 10 and 12 are slightly larger both in Width and length than the border frame, While the core is very close in outline to that of the border frame.

As seen particularly in FIGURES 9 and l0, the sheet 12 is substantially flat, and the sheet 10 is formed with transversely curved portions or loops 30 extending substantially from one end to the other, which cooperate with the sheet 12 in defining parallel open tunnels or pockets 32 which extend lengthwise of the insulator. The sheets are secured together by staples 33 or any other suitable securing means such, for example, as stitching or adhesive. In this instance the staples run between the pockets 32 to separate them from each other. A strand 16 is disposed in each of the pockets 32, and the cords or an chorage members 18 extend across the ends of the pockets. It will, of course, be understood that the strands may, if desired, extend crosswise rather than lengthwise ofthe insulator.

Preferably the sheets are pleated transversely of the pockets, that is the material of the sheets is formed to provide Vthe pleats 34 which extend at right angles to the pockets fromone side to the other. The pleats are shown in FIGURE 11. By thus pleating the sheets, the sheets, as well as the strands 16, are stretchable in the direction of length of the insulator so as to yield under load.

The insulator is shown in FIGURE 8 in its free state overlying the border frame Ztl of the supporting spring structure. It will be understood that in use the insulator will be marginally secured to the border frame, as by meansv of the hog rings 35 shown in FIGURE 1. Other securing means such, for example, as clips may be provided instead of hog rings.

Although the various elements of the insulator may be formed from any suitable material for the purposes set forth, the sheets l0 and 12 are preferably formed of burlap, and the reinforcing strands 16 are preferably formed of wire. The anchorage members or cords I3 may be formed for example of rolled or folded burlap.

In the manufacture of the insulator shown in FIG- URES S-ll, the core 14 is first formed to the shape and configuration shown in FIGURE 2. rl`he core in its initial form shown in FIGURE 2 is designated 14', and it will be noted that the strands I5 are all initially of the same length and that the pitch of the helical convolutions is also the same. The ends of "Lne strands are terminally connected to the anchorage members or cords 1S by being folded or wrapped about the cords, and tre core thus formed is substantially rectangular with the strands substantially parallel and in laterally spaced relation to each other.

The core 14 of FIGURE 2, which is there shown in its free state, must be formed to the shape shown in FIGURE 7 before it is ready to be assembled with the sheets I and 12 to complete the composite insulator A. In other words, the strands I6 must be longitudinally compressed, certain strands more than others, so that in the free state of the core it sumes substantially the outline shown in FIGURE 7 which corresponds closely to the outline of the border frame. To accomplish this, the fixture 36 shown in FIGURES 3-6 is employed. The fixture 36 has a base 38 and a lower plate 4t? supported on the base by posts 42. An upper plate 44 is supported for vertical reciprocation above the lower plate dil. The upper plate 4liis guided in its reciprocation by pins 46 and is positively moved by any suitable means such as the hydraulic cylinder 48.

The lower plate 40 is formed in its upper surface with a plurality of laterally spaced, parallel semi-cylindrical grooves 50, and the upper plate 44 is formed in its lower surface with a like series of parallel semi-cylindrical grooves 52. When the plates are brought together, the grooves register with one another to define cylindrical passages 54 open at either end of the plates.

As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, a series of plungers 55 is provided at either end of the fixture, the plungers respectively being aligned with the adjacent ends of the cylindrical passages 54. In other words, there is one plunger for each end of each passage, and the plungers are guided for reciprocation along the axes of the respective passages. For this purpose, any suitable means may be employed. The plungers are of course individually operated so that some may reciprocate through a larger stroke than others. The plungers have reduced ends 55 adapted to extend into the end convolutions of the strands to serve as pilots during compression, the end convolutions bearing against the annular shoulders 59 defined by the reduced ends S (see FIG. 6). While preferably two plungers are provided for compressing each strand, only one need be employed. That is, one plunger may be provided to engage one end of the strand and a fixed abutment may be provided for the opposite end.

In operation, the plates itl and 4d of the fixture 36 are separated and the insulator core I4 in its initial condition shown in FIGURE 2 is laid over the lower plate with the strands 16 in the respective grooves Si). The upper plate 44 is then lowered or closed with respect to the lower plate ill, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, thereby confining the strands in the respective passages 54. Although the strands are closely confined in the passages, they are capable of movement in an axial direction. The plungers 56 are advanced into the passages 54, engaging the ends of the strands and compressing them axially, thereby closing the pitch of the convolutions of the helix. In this connection, it will be noted in FIGURES 4 and 5 that the opposed surfaces of the plates 40 and 44 are relieved or cut away near both ends, as shown at 61, for some distance toward the middle in order to clear the anchorage members or cords 18.

The strands i6 are compressed far enough to exceed their elastic limits so that when the plungers 56 arewithdrawn the strands will not return to their original full length shown in FIGURE 2. The dotted position 57 (FIG. 3) of cords I8 indicate the extent to which the strands are compressed. When the plungers are withdrawn, the stands spring back slightly and assume a permanent free state condition indicated by the positions 58 of cords 1S. The fixture 36 is then opened and the pre-compressed core 14 removed for assembly with the sheets 10 and 12 to form the composite insulator A.

'Ihe sheets 10 and 12 when stretched out flat are slightly longer than illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 10, it being understood that in these figures the material of the sheets has been transversely pleated as indicated in FIGURE 1l at 34, somewhat shortening their overall length. It will also be understood that when laid at the sheet 10 is of a somewhat greater dimension from side to side than the sheet 12 since enough material must be provided to form the loops 39.

In order to form the composite insulator A from its parts, the pre-compressed core 14 shown in FIGURE 7 may be laid over the sheet I2, the sheet 12 having first been pleated in a transverse direction. The sheet It) may then be laid over the core and likewise transversely pleated. The margins of the sheets coincide with one another, and the material of the upper sheet It) will fold about the individual strands 16 to form the loops 30. The sheets are secured together by any suitable means such as the staples 33 which run between the loops 30 to permanently separate the pockets or tunnels 32 from each other. The completed insulator A may be attached to the border frame of the supporting spring structure by any suitable means such as the hog rings 35 shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE l2 illustrates one end of a modified insulator A before the strands have been compressed. It will be understood that the opposite end of the insulator A before compression will be a mirror image of that shown in FIGURE 12. FIGURE 13 illustrates the opposite end of the same insulator A after the strands have been compressed and the insulator is ready for use. The other end of the insulator A after compression is a mirror image of the FIGURE 13 illustration. The insulator A differs from the insulator A in the initial configuration of the sheets 19' and 12 and in the method of manufacture.

The core 14 of insulator A is the same as the core of insulator A, but the sheets of flexible material lil and 12 differ in that they are initially rectangular. The sheets I0 and I2 are initially somewhat longer and Wider than the core and cover opposite sides of the core, so that the core forms a lamination between the sheets. In this form of the invention, the sheets 10 and 12' are secured togethed on opposite sides of the core before, rather than after, the core is compressed. The core is shown in FIG- URE 12 prior to compression of the strands 16 and is there designated 14. The staples 33 secure the sheets together in the spaces between the strands I6, thus providing the tunnels 32 for the individual strands.v

The insulator as it is shown in FIGURE l2 is strueturally complete but has not been compressed. It is placed between the two plates 40 and 44 of the compression fixture 36 so that the strands of the core register with the matching grooves 50 and 52 of the fixture. This can be seen in FIGURE 14. When the upper plate 44 is brought down on the lower plate 40, the strands I6 will be laterally confined within the passages 54 defined by the matching grooves, whereupon the pistons 56 are advanced into the passages 54 to compress the strands beyond their elastic limit as before described in connection with the manufacture of insulator A. The plates of the fixture should not be moved as close together as they were in the manufacture of insulator A, because of the presence of the sheets 10 and 12. If desired, the sheets along their ends may be spread apart so that the pistons 56 can enter the tunnels 32 between the sheets and engage the ends of the strands. The reduced ends of the pistons will enter the end convolutions of the strands to act as pilots, as before described in connection with the manufacture of insulator A.

The finished insulator A', one end of which is shown in FIGURE. 13, will have substantially the same outline as the insulator A shown in FIGURE 8. The sheets of the insulator A' will be transversely pleated in the compression fixture by the action of the pistons 56. These pleats extend from one side of the insulator to the other generally transversely of the strands, although near the side where the strands are compressed to a greater degree (i.e. the bottom side in FEGURE 13) the pleats are of course somewhat deeper. Moreover, the curved portions 65 of the ends of the insulator A are somewhat irregular in outline due to the fact that the sheets are initially rectangular. Except in the particulars mentioned, insulator A' is the same as insulator A.

Both insulator A and A are capable of'stretching longitudinally, since the pre-compressed strands of the cores are stretchable and the pleated material of the sheets is likewise capable of extending or stretching.

Although the strands are shown extending from end to end of insulators A and A', they may extend transversely, that is from side to side, in which event the pleats would extend from end to end.

While the strands 16 are preferably helical as shown, they may also be of other undulating form. Thus the undulations may, for example, lie in the same plane and be sinuous, or V-shaped, or any otherdesired wavy oonfiguration.

What l claim as my invention is:

il. An insulator for use between an overlying padding and an underlying supporting spring structure of an upholstered assembly and adapted to be attached to an elongated border frame of said supporting spring structure; comprising lirst and second elongated sheets of llexible material, a core comprising a plurality of elongated, laterally spaced, substantially parallel, llexible, resilient reinforcing strands of helical form, said sheets respectively extending over opposite sides of said core so that said core forms a reinforcing lamination between said sheets and said strands extend lengthwise of said sheets, and means securing said sheets together in the spaces between said strands to form longitudinal tunnels respectively receiving said strands and separating said strands from each other, said sheets each having a length approximating the length of said border frame, said strands initially being of greater lengthwise dimensions respectively than the corresponding portions of said border frame, said strands being longitudinally compressed to a free state condition of reduced length such that said compressed strands are of approximately the same lengthwise dimensions respectively as the corresponding portions of said border frame.

2. The insulator delined in claim l, wherein said sheets are pleated transversely of said strands so that the said sheets, as well as said strands can stretch in a lengthwise direction in response to load.

3. The insulator dened in claim 2, wherein said core has anchorage members at the ends thereof to which said strands are terminally connected.

4. An insulator `lor use between an elongated overlying padding and an elongated underlying supporting spring structure having an elongated border frame; comprising a horizontally extending elongated sheet of flexible material, a plurality of horizontally extending, elongated, laterally spaced, substantially parallel, exible, resilient reinforcing strands on one side of and extending lengthwise or" said sheet, a second horizontally extending elongated sheet of flexible material on the side of said strands opposite the first mentioned sheet, each of saidsheets having a dimension measured in the direction of length of said strands approximating the dimension of said supporting sprinf7 structure measured in the same direction, said strands being of helical form and initially being respectively longer than the corresponding portions of said supporting spring structure measured in the aforesaid direction, said strands being longitudinally compressed to a free state condition of reduced length such that said cornpressed strands have approximately the same lengthwise dimensions respectively as the corresponding portions aforesaid of said supporting spring structure, and means securing said sheets together.

5. The insulator deiined in claim 4, wherein the securing means are between the respective strands and maintain the substantially parallel relation of said strands.y

6. The insulator delined in claim 4, wherein said sheets are pleated transversely of said strands.

7. The insulator denned in claim 4, wherein one of said sheets is formed with longitudinally extending transversely curved portions that cooperate with the other of said sheets to forni tunnels for the respective strands.

8. The insulator defined in claim 4, wherein transversely extending anchorage members are provided at opposite ends of said strands, and said strands are terminally connected to said anchorage members.

9. The insulator defined in claim 4, wherein portions of the insulator are adapted to be marginally secured to said elongated border frame.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,341,254 Williams et al. Feb. 8, 1944 2,906,320 Reed Sept. 29, 1959 2,961,759 Weissfloch Nov. 29, 1960 3,024,477 Reed Mar. 13, 1962 3,032,868 Billner May 8, 1962 

1. AN INSULATOR FOR USE BETWEEN AN OVERLYING PADDING AND AN UNDERLYING SUPPORTING SPRING STRUCTURE OF AN UPHOLSTERED ASSEMBLY AND ADAPTED TO BE ATTACHED TO AN ELONGATED BORDER FRAME OF SAID SUPPORTING SPRING STRUCTURE; COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND ELONGATED SHEETS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL, A CORE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED, LATERALLY SPACED, SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL, FLEXIBLE, RESILIENT REINFORCING STRANDS OF HELICAL FORM, SAID SHEETS RESPECTIVELY EXTENDING OVER OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CORE SO THAT SAID CORE FORMS A REINFORCING LAMINATION BETWEEN SAID SHEETS AND SAID STRANDS EXTEND LENGTHWISE OF SAID SHEETS, AND MEANS SECURING SAID SHEETS TOGETHER IN THE SPACES BETWEEN SAID STRANDS TO FORM LONGITUDINAL TUNNELS RESPECTIVELY RECEIVING SAID STRANDS AND SEPARATING SAID STRANDS FROM EACH OTHER, SAID SHEETS EACH HAVING A LENGTH APPROXIMATING THE LENGTH OF SAID BORDER FRAME, SAID STRANDS INITIALLY BEING OF GREATER LENGTHWISE DIMENSIONS RESPECTIVELY THAN THE CORRESPONDING PORTIONS OF SAID BORDER FRAME, SAID STRANDS BEING LONGITUDINALLY COMPRESSED TO A FREE STATE CONDITION OF REDUCED LENGTH SUCH THAT SAID COMPRESSED STRANDS ARE OF APPROXIMATELY THE SAME LENGTHWISE DIMENSIONS RESPECTIVELY AS THE CORRESPONDING PORTIONS OF SAID BORDER FRAME. 